Puneri Paltan Vs Dabang Delhi K.c. 09 December 2024

Full-Time
Puneri Paltan 26 - 30 Dabang Delhi KC

That was quite the cagey affair and was deadlocked for the most part, but some close refereeing calls and a few unlucky self-outs towards the end contributed to the Puneri Paltan's defeat, much to the disappointment of the home crowd.

In the end, it was a stellar solo effort from Ashu Malik that got his side the win as he scored a Super 10 in a match where the Pune defense was in good form, putting in a really special 5-point raid that's going to be played again and again on highlight reels and live on in PKL legacy!

Both teams were solid defensively for the most part, with the Pune raiders also joining the party in the second half, but ultimately, it was those little unforced errors that cost the Paltan the match, and they're in real trouble now as they remain stranded in 7th position with only four games remaining.

Delhi, meanwhile, move up to 4th with that win and remain unbeaten in their last six outings.

We've had a thrilling contest to round out this Monday night in PKL 11. Join us again tomorrow for more exciting action as the playoff race heats up. Good night!

2nd Half, 40'
Puneri Paltan 26 - 30 Dabang Delhi KC

Pankaj Mohite tries to force the issue and does well, getting the running hand touch on Gaurav Chillar in double quick time as the Delhi raiders try to run the clock down at the other end.

Ashu Malik has a do-or-die raid and he runs the clock down before going for it, and he doesn't miss, nailing the running hand touch on Abinesh Nadarajan, and that should kill this game!

The Pune substitute raider picks up a quick point, but it's in vain as the final whistle blows. Delhi peaked when it most mattered to pick up a crucial win against the home team.

2nd Half, 38'
Puneri Paltan 24 - 29 Dabang Delhi KC

Ohh, huge multi-point raid that from Ashu Malik! The Paltan are down to three, and Pankaj Mohite goes for an early advance tackle against Ashu Malik, but he reads the situation to perfection, riding the challenge, also getting Mohit Goyat on the way.

Akash Shinde is the last man standing for the Paltan and he can only manage a bonus point as Delhi claim the first all-out of the match with only 2 minutes left to play.

2nd Half, 36'
Puneri Paltan 22 - 24 Dabang Delhi KC

Now they're officially level! That's a terrific sliding toe touch from Pankaj Mohite to equalize the scores.

In the very next raid, Naveen Kumar appears to have forced not one but two errors from the corners, but wow, those are really marginal calls!

And Pune don't even have a review.

2nd Half, 34'
Puneri Paltan 21 - 22 Dabang Delhi KC

Mohit is clearly the Paltan's best raider tonight, and his pace is causing the Delhi defense problems in this 2nd half, and this time, it's the left cover who's caught in two minds and concedes a cheap point.

Finally, the crowd roars as the Puneri Paltan finally level the scores after a terrific diving ankle hold from Aman!

Oh no wait, the referees, for some reason have adjudged Gaurav Khatri to have been out of bounds during the tackle and award a point each.

However, Pune review the decision. This looks close, Gaurav is within bounds from a conventional sense, but what happens is that he lands on Ashu Malik, and for a split second, both his legs are in the air, and technically, no part of his body is on the mat.

Really harsh call that but the rules are rules!

2nd Half, 32'
Puneri Paltan 19 - 21 Dabang Delhi KC

Ohh, Mohit Goyat has his speed boots on as he puts in a terrific running hand touch to catch Yogesh out. They've been much better in raid in this 2nd half, have the Paltan.

A do-or-die raid comes about for Delhi, and against a 4-man defense, it takes another excellent raiding effort from Ashu Malik to keep Delhi in the lead as he uses his pace to force the error from Abinesh Nadarajan.

That's also a Super 10 for Ashu! Absolute gold, these points, in a match where raid points have been really hard to get.

2nd Half, 30'
Puneri Paltan 18 - 20 Dabang Delhi KC

Ohh, it's Naveen Kumar who strikes with the ankle hold now! Akash Shinde didn't expect the ankle hold to come in from the right-in and was completely done in by that.

The Paltan are reduced to two once again, but they register another Super Tackle, and this time, it's Mohit Goyat, who goes in with a steely knee hold that has Naveen Kumar rooted to the spot.

The deficit remains two points as we slip into another timeout.

2nd Half, 28'
Puneri Paltan 16 - 19 Dabang Delhi KC

Do-or-die raid for the Paltan, but this time, Pankaj Mohite doesn't miss, using the dive really well to catch out the right cover.

However, he attempts a silly advance tackle, gifting a point to Naveen Kumar in the very next raid.

2nd Half, 26'
Puneri Paltan 15 - 18 Dabang Delhi KC

Slowly, the Paltan raiding unit comes to the party, and this time, it's the captain Akash Shinde who strikes with a neat toe touch on the right corner, as this game threatens to open up.

Naveen Kumar pulls out the stops in his next raid, surprising the left corner with a swift kick. 

Pune down to three now.

2nd Half, 24'
Puneri Paltan 14 - 17 Dabang Delhi KC

Ashu Malik has just turned this game on its head! The referees are counting and they count five! It's a humungous raid, arguably one of the best this season!

In a match where raid points are at a premium, Ashu has just pulled out a five-point raid in a do-or-die situation!

Gaurav comes around with the chain tackle and the Paltan think they have Ashu handled, but his terrific court awareness sees him find the space and the gaps in the Paltan defense to extend his arm past the mid-line.

Down to just two, the Paltan stare at an all-out, but it's a terrific Super Tackle from the substitute Mohd Amaan and Abinesh on Ashu Malik to bring the Paltan back into this!

2nd Half, 22'
Puneri Paltan 11 - 12 Dabang Delhi KC

Positive start to this second half for the Paltan, and it's Mohit Goyat who uses his pace and incredible agility to execute a technically solid diving hand touch on a retreating Delhi right cover. He has the skillset most suited to raiding in 1v4 situations for the Paltan, and he needs to step up now!

Half-Time
Puneri Paltan 10 - 12 Dabang Delhi KC

But they can't! Delhi play on the do-or-die raid strategy again and it works for the nth time tonight and it's Yogesh who doesn't err with another solid knee hold on Pankaj Mohite, with the whistle blowing for half-time on the stroke of that tackle.

Not much to separate the two teams in a cagey affair that has both teams relying on their defense to do the damage, and while the Paltan have had the numerical advantage for most of the half, the 1v4 situation has always come about for them when they're raiding, and they're unable to get a single raid point against a solid Delhi defense when the do-or-die raids come about.

Who's gonna break this game open? Let's find out in the second half!

1st Half, 19'
Puneri Paltan 10 - 11 Dabang Delhi KC

Ashish, the raiding all-rounder, from Delhi gets a rare raid point with a kick on the run on the right-in Pankaj Mohite. At the other end, Mohit Goyat scores only the third raid point of the night for the Paltan, capitalizing on a silly error from the Delhi right cover.

Finally a tackle point for Gaurav Khatri, who hasn't bee in the best of form in the last few matches! This time, however, his block along with Akash Shinde in the right chain, is too good for Naveen Kumar's attempted dubki.

Delhi are back down to four now, and the Paltan need to end this cycle!

1st Half, 17'
Puneri Paltan 8 - 10 Dabang Delhi KC

Sanket Sawant hasn't put a foot wrong tonight, and he gets his 2nd tackle point of the night with another solid block in a do-or-die raid against substitute raider Vinay Virender.

However, the same pattern continues in this match as Delhi are reduced to four, the Paltan are unable to make further inroads and always end up getting tackled in do-or-die raids.

This time, it's Yogesh who claims the tackle point on Akash Shinde.

1st Half, 14'
Puneri Paltan 7 - 9 Dabang Delhi KC

Ohh, a lapse in concentration from Naveen Kumar costs him dear as he pretty much hands his leg to a grateful Aman, who pounces with another solid ankle hold. He has had the beating of Naveen so far, has the Paltan left corner.

However, the Paltan's raiding unit hasn't been able to back up the efforts of their defense, and in a 1v4 situation in a do-or-die raid, Ashish Malik does really well to convert Pankaj Mohite's kick attempt into an ankle hold.

1st Half, 12'
Puneri Paltan 6 - 8 Dabang Delhi KC

And the Paltan have their man! Mohit Goyat goes for the ankle hold from the left-in position, and he gets timely support from Abinesh Nadarajan as they manage to stop Ashu in the nick of time, although he manages to secure a bonus point.

At the other end, though, Delhi's left corner Ashish initiates an ankle hold that's well backed up by their defense to send Mohit Goyat to the bench in a do-or-die raid.

1st Half, 10'
Puneri Paltan 5 - 6 Dabang Delhi KC

It's a do-or-die raid for the Paltan and the captain Akash Shinde makes the most of an error from the left cover Sandeep, who goes too early with his block-dash attempt, allowing Akash to brush him aside en-route to the mid-line.

The whistle blows for the timeout, and this game is evenly poised, albeit a bit slowly paced. Delhi will have a do-or-die raid immediately after the break, and if the Paltan can send Ashu Malik to the bench once again, they'll definitely get ahead in this game.

1st Half, 8'
Puneri Paltan 4 - 6 Dabang Delhi KC

Ohh solid challenge from Aman! The Paltan left corner times his diving double ankle hold really well, and the Paltan defense do well to support him as they were caught in two minds for a while there.

1st Half, 6'
Puneri Paltan 3 - 6 Dabang Delhi KC

It's a do-or-die raid for the Paltan, and Mohit Goyat is sent in, but Pune's No. 8 has no chance against a solid double knee hold from Yogesh.

At the other end, the Naveen Express, who has a terrific record against the Paltan, opens his account, anticipating the dash from Abinesh and getting away with ease.

1st Half, 4'
Puneri Paltan 3 - 4 Dabang Delhi KC

Defending has been the stronger suit for the Paltan, and with only five on the mat, they do well to keep Naveen Kumar quiet in his first raid, with Sanket Sawant and Abinesh putting in a solid block.

It's those two once again, and this time, they tackle Ashu Malik, and that will be the key to their success tonight, keeping Ashu quiet!

So far, it's Ashu 1 - 1 Abinesh.

1st Half, 2'
Puneri Paltan 1 - 3 Dabang Delhi KC

Ashu Malik starts things off for the Paltan and he starts well, getting the running hand touch on Abinesh Nadarajan in the Paltan right cover. Keep a close eye on that battle tonight.

Pankaj Mohite starts well for the Paltan, escaping from Ashish's attempted ankle hold, opening their account.

Gaurav Khatri doesn't make the best of starts to the match, with his attempt to come around to block Ashu Malik dealt with really well by the raider, who circumvents the challenge, using his feet to get past the mid-line.

The first tackle point of the night goes to Delhi, and it's the right cover Gaurav Chillar who pounces to send Pankaj Mohite to the bench.

Sharp start from the Dabang!

Both teams have made their way onto the mat, and we're not far away from live action.

Toss Update: The Puneri Paltan win the toss and choose court. Delhi will raid first.

Make the right captaincy decision to maximize the returns from your Dream11 teams, taking the suggestions of our in-house experts:

Here's what PKL legend Mohit Chillar had to say about the Puneri Paltan's mid-season change in coaching staff:

It's time to set up your Dream11 teams for this blockbuster encounter with the help of Sportskeeda's Dream11 Prediction:

Team News

Here are the starting lineups of both teams:

Puneri Paltan: Akash Shinde (C), Pankaj Mohite, Gaurav Khatri, Aman, Mohit Goyat, Sanket Sawant, and Abinesh Nadarajan.

Dabang Delhi KC: Ashu Malik and Naveen Kumar (C), Gaurav Chillar, Ashish, Sandeep, Ashish Malik, and Yogesh.

Both teams name unchanged starting 7s from their previous outings.

Hello and welcome to Sportskeeda's coverage of the 11th edition of the Pro Kabaddi League. As we near the business end of an incredibly competitive PKL 11, every game holds plenty of weight and meaning for both sides involved, and we have one such clash lined up between two top sides that could go either way in the second match of a Monday night doubleheader here at the Balewadi Sports Complex in Pune.

It's a struggling defending champion Puneri Paltan who take on PKL 8 winners Dabang Delhi KC as both teams look to strengthen their claims for a playoff spot. Delhi certainly has the edge as they have one game in hand over the Paltan, and are three points ahead of them on the points table, and come into this match unbeaten in their last three outings.

On the other hand, the home team Puneri Paltan have struggled to win matches consistently since losing their lynchpin and captain Aslam Inamdar to an injury, and have lost four out of their last five matches. With only five league games remaining, they need to bring out their A-Game in every match to ensure a spot in the knockout stages.

The reverse fixture saw both teams deadlocked in a high-scoring tie, and with more at stake here, expect an a cliffhanger once again. So sit back and relax as we take you through all that unfolds in what could be one of the best games of the season.